Blue Mountain Singletrack

Rising above and surrounded by some of the least inhabited desert landscapes in the lower 48, the Blue Mountains offer miles of unforgettable and unknown singletrack riding.

In describing this remote mountainous terrain that towers above the canyon country of the desert Southwest, Mountain Bike Magazine says "Put on your pioneer hat and explore these densely wooded sky islands" (Winter 2004). The Blue Mountains of this tour literally are islands of cool, forested trails.

The singletrack is on par with any of our other singletrack adventures. Challenging climbs to 11,000 feet followed by long descents through aspens will leave you asking for more. By chance this fantastic singletrack tour has been ridden by far too few of our guests. It is jewel yet to be discovered. This tour makes a great early summer season mountainous singletrack adventure or an equally unique trip in the high country during fall foliage and before the snows arrive.

Amazing geology, remote location, and unheralded singletrack combine to make Blue Mountain Singletrack an eye-opening tour into the wilds of southern Utah. This trip requires singletrack mountain biking experience, great physical shape and technical skills. Many of the climbs are loose, steep and above 10,000 feet. More questions? Just give us a ring at 800-845-2453. We'll give you the inside scoop on this not-to-be-missed guided mountain biking adventure.

TRIP ITINERARY

Day 1

On this trip we visit the little known singletrack trails of the Abajo Mountains, south of Moab, Utah. These high alpine mountains, known locally as “the Blues”, are surrounded by the beautiful deserts of Canyonlands National Park. While the total mileage we ride is relatively low, the technical singletrack both climbing and descending at high altitude make for a challenging trip. We begin our trip with a shuttle up to North Creek Pass. From here we descend into Indian Creek Valley on our way to the Shay Ridge Trail. This trail takes us to over 10,000 feet just below Bob Park Peak. The trail turns into an ATV track and gives us a smooth and flowing descent all the way to our camp at Aspen Flats. TOTAL MILEAGE: 11 miles

Day 2

Today we will ride a loop from Aspen Flats to Red Ledges. This is a classic western ride with smooth sections of trail interspersed with technical challenges. We begin by contouring along the mountain through stands of Quaking Aspens. We drop into an alpine meadow before crossing the creek to join the Red Ledges Trail. There are a few sections where only the strongest riders can keep their traction, but of course a short hike-a-bike allows one to better appreciate the incredible views. We will cross the headwaters of Indian Creek and descend down the valley while rolling through Indian Creek’s tributaries. At the end of the trail we’ll pick up the dirt road for our final climb to our camp at Foy Lake. We’ll spend two nights here tucked in an aspen grove. TOTAL MILEAGE: 19 miles

Day 3

Today we head out from Foy Lake to the Spring Creek Trailhead. Our views today include many examples of the dramatic interface between the mountains and the desert. After a few miles on the road we begin a singletrack climb which takes us to the Robertsons Pasture Trail. From here another mile up and a bit of hike-a-biking brings us to an incredible meadow and the best view of the trip. After a well deserved lunch break, we head down on a steep trail that will challenge even the best riders. We’ll regroup for a minute, shake it out and embark on the finest singletrack to be had. We’ll cross high alpine meadows, roll through grassy aspen groves and descend the technical rocky sections hiding in the scrub oak. Once back at camp a quick dip in Foy Lake relaxes us for dinner. TOTAL MILEAGE: 11 miles

Day 4

From Foy Lake we’ll begin our final day with a four mile descent to Indian Creek. As we leave the mountains and enter the canyons interesting changes occur. The vegetation changes from spruce trees and aspens to cottonwoods, sagebrush and cactus. The high peaks that we left behind are replaced by towering red rock canyon walls. The trail down Indian Creek has seen no recent improvements and provides a challenging but fun run down the canyon. After eight miles on the trail we’ll hit the pavement at Newspaper Rock where we can spend some time looking at this incredible pictograph panel.After lunch, we will load up and return to Moab. TOTAL MILEAGE: 12 miles

Ride Notes

This tour contains some very difficult riding on narrow, steep mountain trails. A high level of skill and fitness is required to enjoyably navigate much of the route. We will be without vehicle support during all of the singletrack sections of the ride and medical help is far away. If you do not consider yourself to be an expert rider and doubt your ability to complete this tour, please call us and we can help you determine whether this trip is appropriate for you. Itineraries are subject to change due to weather, road conditions, rider safety and other factors which may affect the logistics of the adventure.